Our medical consultant answers your TB related questions

Why is TB screening important, especially as a lab test is still required?

Why is the RBS screening device better than other TB screening tests?

How much training is involved to be able to collect a sample and to use the optical reader?

What about if the patient can't cough a sample - what can we do?

The population groups at greater risk from TB are the young and elderly - is this true and are there any special conditions we need to be aware of when handling the RBS product with these groups?

There are always some conditions that might well contra indicate the use of the RBS product. For instance with a person, young, or old, with a history of respiratory disease that renders breathing or coughing difficult, requiring them to participate in this action would not be in their best interest and an alternative test should be sought.

Likewise, when faced with the very young, an alternative should be sought, as they are usually unable to produce a satisfactory cough response.

How do we safely dispose of the sample collection tubes?

How often can we use the reader, and can we use it to screen for other infectious diseases?

How many readers will we need to screen a group of several hundred people - is there an optimal number of readers required for certain population groups i.e is the screening speed subject to the population group type?

Using this test, how long will it take to get a result, and how accurate will this result be?

Is the RBS test cost effective when compared with what is currently available, and thus attractive to potential purchasers?